'I do not have any regrets': Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand defends call for Al Franken's resignation

In a town hall hosted by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, Democratic presidential hopeful and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said that he would not have applied the pressure Democrats did for Senator Al Franken to resign before he knew more. Veuer’s Chandra Lanier has the story.
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Mayer's article also cast doubt on the allegation Leeann Tweeden, a conservative radio host, made that Franken of forcibly kissing her during a 2006 USO tour in the Middle East and implied her decision to come forward may have been politically motivated. Tweeden also shared a photo in which Franken appeared to grab for her breast while she was sleeping in a flak jacket.

Gillibrand, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, was the first Democratic senator to call for Franken to step down, according to The New Yorker, and at the time Politico said she was leading the charge. She pointed out there were "eight credible allegations against him."

"It only talked about one allegation," Gillibrand said when asked about Mayer's article during a Mic town hall event. "It talked about the first one. What about the seven other allegations? There was really no critical or investigative journalism or reporting on the other seven."

Gillibrand also said two of the alleged incidents of inappropriate behavior against Franken occurred after he became a senator and one involved a congressional staffer.

"I could have told those seven senators and any of the senators – the 35 senators who came out against him – that there is no prize for someone who tries to hold accountable a powerful man who is good at his day job," she said when asked about her colleagues who now had second thoughts. "But we should have the courage to do it anyway. So, no I do not have any regrets."

The New Yorker reported that Gillibrand felt that Democratic fundraisers had spurned her because of her role in Franken's resignation and "tried to 'intimidate' her 'into silence.'"

But Gillibrand told the magazine she would "do it again today."

"If a few wealthy donors are angry about that, it’s on them," she said.

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Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. holds hands with his wife Franni Bryson as he leaves the Capitol after speaking on the Senate floor, Dec. 7, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Franken said he will resign from the Senate in coming weeks following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations and a collapse of support from his Democratic colleagues, a swift political fall for a once-rising Democratic star. Andrew Harnik, AP

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., holds hands with his wife Franni Bryson, as he leaves the Capitol after speaking on the Senate floor, Dec. 7, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Franken said he will resign from the Senate in coming weeks following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations and a collapse of support from his Democratic colleagues, a swift political fall for a once-rising Democratic star. Andrew Harnik, AP

Sen. Al Franken leaves the U.S. Capitol with his wife Franni Bryson after speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate Dec. 7, 2017 in Washington. Franken announced that he will be resigning from the U.S. Senate in the coming weeks following a barrage of allegations related to inappropriate conduct with women. Win McNamee, Getty Images

Comedian Al Franken and sports commentator Leeann Tweeden perform a comic skit for service members during the USO Sergeant Major of the Army's 2006 Hope and Freedom Tour in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on Dec. 15, 2006. Staff Sgt. Patrick N. Moes, U.S. Army via AP

Senator Al Franken arrives for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the nomination of Christopher Wray's to be the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, July 12, 2017. MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images

Sportscaster Leeann Tweeden and then-comedian Al Franken meet and greet military members during an autograph signing session of the USO Sergeant Major of the Army's 2006 Hope and Freedom Tour in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on Dec. 14, 2006. Sgt. Thomas Day, U.S. Army via AP

Franken looks over his papers during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Capitol Hill on Nov. 14, 2017. Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Franken directs a question to Neil Gorsuch during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Gorsuch's nomination to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court on March 21, 2017. MICHAEL REYNOLDS, EPA

Franken walks off Air Force Once with President Obama, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Betty McCollum at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Feb. 4, 2013. Obama was traveling to Minneapolis to speak about gun violence. Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images

Franken talks with reporters outside his home in Minneapolis on April 13, 2009, after a court confirmed that he won the most votes in his 2008 Senate race against Republican Norm Coleman. Craig Lassig, AP

Franken, as his wife, Franni, looks on, delivers a speech to the media in front of his home after the Minnesota state canvassing board certified the recount in his bid for the U.S. Senate on Jan. 5, 2009, in Minneapolis. Jayme Halbritter, Getty Images